0) : = pionee! : p the ear! nineteenth century : idge, The publication of “Lyrical Balla Pees marked the end of the previous age of neo-classicism beginning of a new era in English literature. The age deserves to be called the age of poetry just as we say wi the age of poetry just as we say without. Mistake that Elizabethan Era is the age of Drama. ; / Wordsworth the leading personality of this change- change from classical to Romanticism, enlists basic traits of romantic poetry in preface to Lyrical Ballad. This epoch- making preface clearly shows that romantic tendency in poetry in its strict-sense is the result of classical poetry which stressed on order and restriction in expression. Wordsworth defines in a clear-cut manner the nature and function of this new type of poetry as well the role of poet as a creative artist. Before examining the qualities of romantic poetry and Wordsworth’s role as Romantic poet let us have a bird’s eye view of this drastic change. Classical Era is mainly called the “Age of Pope’. Pope was a model for other poets and his influence for making the rules and regulations of classical poetry nes dominant. Classical poets were confined to superficial, unnatural conduct of man’s life and their mode of expression was to ridicule them. Naturally a change was noticed in the works of the precursors of the Romantic Revival in the works of the G i ray, Collins, Crabbe, Bums est and Blake. Even these immediate predecessors of ordsworth took shelter in nature though unlike Wordsworth they shared only its external beauties, ___ Wordsworth was the first and nd. The i ;m vet expression in this Meier ‘of tness and order, which was the gist of 18 correc’ ennui Wordsworth at heart. He believed in the intensity thought for creating a great work rather than following the unnecessary laws. So Wordsworth threw away those rules and. regulations and be a poet in his own independent way and liked to express what he actually felt at his heart. His little poem “Daffodils” is beautiful expression of these powerful emotions that are recollected in tranquillity and felt at heart. After enjoying the pleasing sight of moving daffodils the poet says: In such a jocund company I gazed - and gazed — but- little thought What wealth the show to me had brought For oft, when on my couch I lie They flash upon that inward eye Which is the bliss of solitudes And then my heart with pleasure fills And dances with the daffodils. As a Romantic poet, Wordsworth considered, there Must be three basic functions of good poetry. le 0 By Poetry must be for man not for chooser gentry of society as poet is a “man speaking to man.” Poetry must give fundamental truths to man of himself and the world around him. Poetry has a power to move its readers for doing well in Teal life. Wordsworth throughout his life followed an : Propagated these principles of poetry.common man was surprisingly new English poetry. This change in taste open ; door of thinking f eding pocts and they started taking p g for succeeding po interest in man as a man. . ae Wordsworth’s belief in the purity and simplicity of rural life got strengthened after the bitter experience of French Revolution. Wordsworth was not happy with the happening of Revolution. I scarcely knew one night of quite steep Such ghastly vision had I of despair and tyranny. ‘ And after being fed up with the artificial world, he returned to nature for re-gaining his peace of mind and lost confidence. During the period of his ailment, while roaming aimlessly among hills and mountains, he met certain people on these places who impressed poet for their straight-forwardness and independent life. That’s why he chooses “humble and Tustic life” as themes of his poetry. He thinks that human- beings dwelling in huts and cottages, in dales and farms, have some noble virtues in themselves. He observes the natural living in ordinary places, as in that condition the passions of men are incorporated with the beautiful and permanent forms of nature. In “We are seven’ he tells how he meets a little girl on highland place who tells him about her brothers and sisters. He goes on describing that how he inspires by the innocence of little girl who can hardly differentiate between life and death. Another poem is a tale about a boy and a weathercock, another concerns a shepherd, Michael, another pertains to leach- gatherer. Thus Wordsworth shows that even in the poorest matters for poetry, themes that can stir t and move the emotions. This was highly a ne field of por: creates a sense wonc and uplifts them to the level of supernaturalism wil his imagination just as Coleridge tackles with mysterio! supernatural world and bring them down to the level of na Wordsworth and Coleridge represent two different aspect, of romantic poetry. / As Wordsworth’s themes of poetry are common and close to reality so also he lays emphasis in lyrical Ballads on the use of simple poetic diction. In other words he shows his contempt with the “gaudiness and inane phraseology” of the school of pope. His objection to what elsewhere calls a “vague glossy and unfeeling language’ is that to separate poetry from ordinary speech is to separate it from human life. So he insists upon simple language and easy style for composing poetry as it is more real, natural and conceivable. Wordsworth also revolted against the rhyme scheme of the previous age, which encouraged satire and monotony. His various odes, lyrics and sonnets were romantic in colour and glowed in musical utterances. Heroics couplets were given up and a variety of metrical experiments were made by the poet in the poems of rare beauty and charm. The prelude is a forceful plea for simplicity of theme as well as of treatment. Wordsworth’s introduction of autobiography into Poetry was another departure from the established mode of writing poetry. The prelude, Tintern Abbey, ode to Imitation are famous autobiographical writings of the poet. Wordsworth’s mystic experiences in nature his feeling that a spirit permeates through all objects of nature and God and his description of these experiences is remarkable achievement in romantic poetry. There are many other excellences of Wordsworth as foe poet. Love of nature, elements of romance, ‘anism, natural expression and style, free play ofWordsworth — the mark of a new age. Romantic poetry — definition. Comparison between classical and romantic poetry. Wordsworth’s link with nature. Wordsworth’s theory of poetry. Wordsworth as a romantic poet. Principles/ Salient features of Wordsworth’s poetry. ardle strand of love for nai - wordsworth’s place as the greatest harbinger o: pe argued. The appreciation of nature is the crown his poetry. That one is fascinated by the beauties of nati not a novel idea because even before Wordsworth’s there had been poets who composed lyrics on the scenic beauty but Wordsworth’s response to ‘the benevolent mentor’ is still unmatched. He conceived of nature as a moral guide, mother and nurse. Starting with the physical appreciation, Wordsworth love for nature culminated in Pantheism when he found the spirit of God permeating all the objects of nature. Wordsworth’s attitude to nature is clearly distinguishable from that of other great nature- poets. Unlike Coleridge who was interested in supernatural aspects of the universe, Wordsworth spiritualizes nature. Unlike Shelley he does not discuss the shifting behaviour of nature, He is different from Keats in that Keats is merely interested in the sensuous delights which nature offers. The fiery temperament of nature which we come across in Byron’s poetry is not to be found in Wordsworth For Wordsworth, Nature was the universal spirit ready for guiding everyone. Most of the rural characters which he paints are shown as simple, pure and uncorrupted mainly because of their close communion with the objects of nature. To Wordsworth, nature has a formative influence on human Personality, He believed that in spite of all the material progress we are unhappy because “the world is too much with Us” and the objects of nature do not touch our heart. Nature, he thought, should be accepted as a guide and teacher because. “One impulse from the vernal wood May teach you more of man Of moral, evil and goodonly see and not feel the hereas we a au n nature because he can : : ‘ture. His heart is not responsive to nature w 1d about Michael that: “When others heeded not, he heard the south Make Subterraneous music.” There is a traceable order in his attitude towards nature, To begin with, his love for nature was confined to mere physical pleasures. He adored nature for the sake of sensuous delights. But nature was moulding and formulating his personality through the agencies of Beauty and fear. Fair seed time had my soul, and I grew up Fostered alike by beauty and by fear. Then, his heart awakened to the loveliness of nature. “Those incidental charm’ which first attached his heart to the rural objects i.e. physical pleasures and sensuous joys _ grew weaker and he started loving nature ‘for her own sake’ He appreciated the principle of beauty in every object of nature. Now the moon appeared to him as much loving as if she knew no other region, but that of Wordsworth. The next stage of his appreciation of nature was the shift from physical to the spiritual. In ‘The Nutting’ ,he tells the reader how this change occurred. One day when he was throwing stones aimlessly, he apprehended that he was unnecessarily molesting the peace of nature. At that time he fell to meditation and mysteriously felt that Nature had a spirit of its own. “Thence did I drink the visionary power’ he views in the prelude. His’ Sympathies were enlarged and the common range of visible things’ grew dear to him, ___ The last stage of his love for nature is pantheism_h bserved that a single spirit pervaded everywherstial light— ‘a light that nev on sea or jmmanence of God in nature gave him a mystical visi > concluded that nature was a physical expression of the Divine — Being, or an outward shape, through which the Divinity reflected itself. Whatever he saw appeared like something in himself— a prospect in his mind. It was this quality of Wordsworth's poetry which touched A.C, Bradley so much that he said. “There have been greater poets than Wordsworth but none more original”. Wordsworth’s great obsession with nature does not mean that his poetry has nothing to offer to man. The very concept of Pantheism states that spirit of Divinity permeates both man and nature. Furthermore, he held the view that nature has all the powers to harmonize the human personality. A balanced personality is necessary to lead a perfect life. Wordsworth believed that in the presence of nature, “The mind of Man is framed even like the breath And harmony of music. There is a dark Invisible workmanship that reconciles Discordant elements and makes them move In one society.” Many critics regard Wordsworth’s conception of nature as a mere illusion, In fact the common class of human beings who could never come across any spiritual experience find it an uphill task for them to comprehend Wordsworth’s transcendentalism. That is why, Mathew Arnold, Morley and Raleigh believed that ‘Wordsworth’s philosophy of nature is illusion, not reality.” To sum up, we can say that Wordsworth’s conce _ f nature is unique in the whole range of English po an iota of exaggeration, ‘high- priest oft, 2 Saf . ae } Points to Remember: Wordsworth as a poet, Wordsworth Vs other poets of nature, Nature as a guide, Different stages of Wordsworth’s love of nature, Formative influence of nature, Conclusion HH MOHWordsworth was mo. poet. That we find wonderful graphic pictures scenery in many of his poems is impossible to disp! of these passages bear the impression of mys pantheism. Unlike Shelley, he was attached to earth not bothering his mind with remote and strange aspects of the earth and sky. Yet these familiar moods of nature revealed to him abstract thoughts which he presented in concrete terms. It was his aim as a poet to seek for beauty in meadow, woodland, and the mountain top, and to interpret this beauty in spiritual terms. He is forever spiritualising the moods of nature and winning from them moral consolation and it was his special characteristic to concern himself not with the strange and remote aspects of earth and sky but with Nature in her ordinary, familiar everyday moods. Wordsworth’s treatment of nature needs to be compared with that of other poets. He did not prefer the wild and stormy aspects of nature like Byron, or the shifting and changeful aspects of Nature and the scenery, or the purely sensuous in Nature like Keats. Unlike Coleridge, he was not concerned with supernaturalism. He was different from them, and was superior to all his contemporaries as well as predecessors in his treatment of nature. Wordsworth’s attitude towards nature continued changing throughout his life. It started with animal and sensuous pleasures and ended on a peaceful and mystic note. There are four stages of his love of nature. In the first stage, he loved the outward appearances of Nature, her grandeur in colours and beauty her form and extemal features with the precision and faithfulness of a lover, he described her form, and experienced a child —like joy in simply describing the details of nature with wonderful accuracy. In fact, the first stage of his treatment of nature was3 no interested in external u sky, sea and the moon were all permeated with came to know that nature possessed a soul, a cons: existence, an ability to feel joy, and love, In the Lines Written in Early spring, he says: And is my faith that every flower Enjoys the air it breathes. In the Immortality Ode he incorporates this belief in the lines: The moon doth with delight Look round her when the heavens are bare. Next, he felt that all the forms and objects of nature shared one soul. In trees and flowers in valley and mountains, in the sky and the moon he saw one life and felt that between this spirit in nature and the mind of man there was prearranged harmony which enabled nature to communicate its own thoughts to man, He felt that with this communion the mind of man becomes capable of healthy thoughts and feelings. It was his belief that man makes himself miserable by tearing himself away from the heart of nature____ by waging a foolish strife with nature. This brooding communion with nature brought him much wealth of moral illustration, and this he communicated in poetic language for the benefit of the spiritual side in human nature. The poet- philosopher considered it a mission of his life to be teacher of mankind. For Wordsworth nature became the Universal Spirit ready for guiding anyone who would Care to be guided by her. Most of the rural characters he paints in his poetry are shown to be simple and uncorrupted mainly because of their close ‘communion with nature. We are told about Michacl tha. en others heeded not, he heard the south Subterraneous music, iature do not touch our heart. Nature should guide and teacher because, One impulse from the vernal wood May teach you more of man Of moral, evil and of good ‘Than all the sages can. But nature teaches and guides only those who approach with the eyes that can see, and the ear which can hear, Coleridge, in De je ction—an Ode, is not inspired by the beauty of nature because he can only see and not feel the charm of nature In Tintern Abbey, Wordsworth tells his sister Dorothy that “Nature never did betray the heart that loved her” that Nature can impress the human mind with quietness and beauty; that Nature gives human beings lofty thoughts. He advises her to let the moon shine on her face .i.c. to put herself under Nature's influence Wordsworth had a firm faith in nature's spiritual teachings. In the immorality Ode, he informs the reader that as a boy his love for natur ; a thoughtless passion. But now the objects of nature take “a sober Colouring” from his eyes and give rise to profound thoughts in his mind because he had witnessed the sufferings of humanity. ‘To me the meanest flower that blows Can give thoughts that do Often lie too deep for tears.peauties of nature, and more interested nature exerted on man’s mind, He was pained suffering under the rule of material considerat mankind that took him to France. There he was a strong exponent of French Revolution. But he was soon disillusioned and disappointed by the slogans of Liberty, Equality and Fraternity which instead of relieving man of his burden had in fact added to it. That is why he raised the slogan of “back to nature.” His term ‘back to nature’ implies to be sensitive to nature, to inculcate natural values in us and to substitute human yalues deduced from the company of nature for the artificial and material values. He does not at all mean that one should adopt nature to the complete exclusion of man. According to him, if man wants to turn the world into heaven he should adopt the attributes of nature. Wordsworth’s theory of poetry and poetic diction were the product of his love for mankind. He revolted against the conventional poetry because its limits were confined to the elite class, and it was incomprehensible for the common man. He wanted to democratize poetry and it was possible only when life of the common men was presented. His emphasis on the use of ordinary language was a natural corollary to the theme of his poetry. : ; Wordsworth chose the lives of common rustics he held that due to their constant communion with the ®f nature, their sensibilities were 4 Wordsworth, was a mentor, a guide, a moral oon vibe a aeThan all the sages can ’ ; Wordsworth was quite secure in his belief that ifn lets his faculties react to the beauty of the sunset, the quite dark night, the fragrance of flowers, the calm strength of mountain and freshness of the vernal wood, he would be possessed of peace that will lend colouring to his life. The characters in his poetry are shown to be simple and uncorrupted because mind lays open to nature’s finer influxes. Thus we are told about Michael. “When others heeded not he heard the south Make Subterraneous music.” In Tintem Abbey, Wordsworth tells his sister Dorothy that “Nature never did betray the heart that loved her”, that nature can impress the human mind with quietness and beauty, and that nature gives human beings lofty thoughts. It is only nature that can flourish the human mind. In the Prelude he tells us how in the company of nature. The mind of man is framed even like the breath And harmony of music. There is a dark Invisible workmanship that reconciles Discordant elements, and makes them move In one society. : Wordsworth wrote only of that which he himself had experienced. Nature had educated him, and had uplifted him to a life of peace and delight. The Prelude is a fine record of tht life led in the company of nature. He tells the Derwent ri how it had formulated his personality. To more than infant softness, giving me the fretful dwellings of mankind te, a dim ear thi the 1 is subdued. If the child remains clean, unafl materialism, he becomes a fine basis on which the edi strong personality is erected. a It follows from the above discussion that Wordsworth had a definite belief in the dignity of man. He saw the root cause of Man’s suffering in materialism, and was pained at it. That is why he admonished man to leave the devil of materialism and city life saying ‘the world is too much with us’.In Nature, the poet is concerned far less with the sensuous manifestations that delight most of our Nature poets, than with the spiritual that he finds underlying these manifestations. The primrose and daffodil are symbols to him of Nature's message to man; the grandeur of the mountain torrent appeals to him because he can link its beauty in his mind with the glory of the floating clouds, with the charm of a young girl's face, a sunrise for Wordsworth is not a pageant of colours, it isa moment of spiritual consecration. (Rickett). Points to Remember: Ly Wordsworth loved man as much as he loved nature. 2; His love of rustic life, people and language. 3 He wished that man should shed his artificial life which shows his love of man, a Conclusion. C ent nme haatfi broadened and he became ‘a dedicat Subject of the poem is not ‘My Life’ but “The makin; poet’. Hence, it would be wrong to assume that it was intended to be a true autobiography. In fact Wordsworth has nowhere mentioned that The Prelude is a true and faithful account of his life. Of course in the preface to Excursion, the poet tells the reader that the preparatory poem —The Prelude— jigs *biographical’ but he has also clearly stated that “it conducts the history of the author’s mind to the point when he was emboldened to hope that his faculties were sufficiently mature for entering upon the arduous labour which he had proposed to himself”. Before venturing upon the great philosophical treatise—The Recluse—Wordsworth considered it right to examine his powers. Thus having been written in a mood of self- examination, the poem might have some autobiographical touches, but it is not so in a straightforward or chronological way. The events, in The Prelude, do not follow each other in the order in which they happened. Those incidents from the poet's life have been highlighted which are considered important in terms of the growth of his mind. The subjective aspect, to Wordsworth, is much more important than the objective aspect of the poem. Professor Garrod has aptly remarked: *..... the purpose of The Prelude, may indeed, be said to be to search out and seize and hold..... The image of the poet’s true being, of his slowly self realizing individuality, of that in him, in virtue of which he is a dedicated spirit”. So, in The Prelude we get a record of that inner life out of which Wordsworth’s poetry grew It is the full intense life ! he lived through his senses as a child and youth tlFostered alike by beauty and by fear.” The most significant element in his early educa the awakening of his love of nature. At the earliest stage it just a normal and healthy boy's love for open air sports and — pastimes amidst lovely surrounding of nature. The poet shares various delightful activities he indulged in, e.g. bathing, basking, bird- snaring, skating, fishing, kite- flying ete. The first book is studded with so many impressive incidents showing us the means by which nature effected her discipline on young Wordsworth, by evoking the emotions of pleasure and fear. He enjoyed pure animal pleasures of bathing and basking but was also overwhelmed with an alarming sense of panic and fright by the awful sight of the towering peak while boating a stolen skiff. So the beautiful and sublime objects and images of nature with their benign influence ennobled his emotions and moulded his mind, Then he started loving nature for its own sake— earlier it was merely for the pleasures that he loved. Now he could have more mystical and spiritual pleasures from his deep and close contact with nature. It was at tl me that he says: “Thence did I drink the v ary power?” This love of nature culminated in pantheism when he saw the reflection of God in all the objects of nature, This was the time of complete solace, now the imaginative impulse awakened. Thus he says: “In all things now 1 saw one life and felt that it was joy.” The prelude does not confine itself to the elaboration of the formative influence of nature on his mind. Wordsworth recognizes the debt to literature and learning. His trip during the tumultuous days of the French Revolutio‘The poem is not merely concerned with po lif an added source of information of what poetry meant to An understanding of this masterpiece suffices to interpr 1 rest of his poetry. It was in fact the recollection of emotions jp tranquillity with *a colouring of imagination’, which produced the poem. The two versions of the poem — 180S5and 1850— are an indication of the growth of the poet's mind. The bold simplicity of 1805 edition gives way to the decorative and more conventionally literary form, The expression is modified and clarified. It may now be safely concluded that The Prelude is not an autobiography in the usual sense, though it may, to a fairly good extent, be a source of information about the poet and a guide to the significant events in his early life. Some of the most important incidents of his life are not mentioned The story of Annette Vallon, his French mistress, has been skipped. Even those incidents which are mentioned do not have a chronological order. Helen Derbyshire has very rightly said: “In The Prelude, Wordsworth gives a record —he will vouch for the truth of it— of that inner life out of which his poetry grew”. Hence we may, without the least reservation, discard the idea of treating The Prelude as mere autobiography, and accept it as a great spiritually autobiographical poem. Points to Remember: a Not an autobiography in the strict sense, 2. It narrates history of author’s min, a Stages of his mental development, Details he omitted.v me spirit permeating both man and nature. Acc Quincy “If Wordsworth had a favourite sub essentially in relation to nature”. The theme of influ nature on man is the noblest part of Wordsworth’s poetry. — Nature is the best educator and she is ever interested in man and tries to impress human mind from its earliest dawn: “I believe That nature, often times, when she would frame A favoured being, from his earliest dawn Of infancy doth open up the clouds As at the touch of lightening, seeking them With great visitation” The main difference between Wordsworth and the earlier poets of nature is that unlike them Wordsworth is not interested in the outward show of nature. Nature in Wordsworth’s poetry is not regarded as a background for his pictures of men nor as mere mirror reflecting the feeling of man but rather as a wonderful power around us calming and influencing our souls. None before him has seen in nature what Wordsworth could find in her. He looked at nature like the mystic of the old days read the page of holy writings. Essentially the Wordsworthian feature of treatment of nature is his intense spirituality. According to him, nature has al! the Power to harmonize the human personality. A balanced Personality is necessary to lead a perfect life. Wordsworth believed that in the presence of nature: “The mind of man is framed even like the breath And harmony of music, There is a dark Invisible workmanship that reconciles Discordant elements and makes them move In one society”.profoundly akin”. 2 Wordsworth had a firm belief in the spiritual of nature. He believed that nature had a holy plan— provide joy and formulate the life of men. But Nature gu only those who go to her with all the faculties responding, Nature soothes and comports those who are responsive to her impulses. Coleridge, in “Dejection— An Ode”, could not find pleasure in nature, for he was just seeing, and not feeling the objects of nature. His heart was not all responsive to the beauties of nature. If our sensibilities react to the beauty of sunset, the quiet dark night, the fragrance of flowers, we would be possessed of peace that would lend a colour to our lives. According to Herbert Reed, “The poetry of Wordsworth is heavily surcharged with the personal quality’ He writes of that which he had experienced in his own life. Native had educated; she had uplifted him to a life of peace and delight. In The Prelude Book-I, we find the poet telling Derwent river how it had reacted his thoughts: To more than infant softness, giving me Among the fretful dwelling of mankind A foretaste, a dim earnest, of the calm That nature breather among the hills and groves. ae ‘The eighteenth century classical poets were prone to the artificial life of the modem circle, and, thus, their presentation of humanity was equally artificial, Wordsworth advocated common folk and natural surroundings as the fit subject of poetry. He thought that poet was a man speaking to men and he must study the primary laws of human nature which could tudied in the carefree and element, e ‘ary life of the rus' Is a great poet of nature, he is INature formulates the human personality | agencies of beauty and fear. Nature taught Wo through experience of three degrees of emotion Vizunmiy delight, troubled pleasure and pure fright.” The word fear or fright should not be taken in its usual literary sense. Here fear is always associated with a feeling of awe and wonder. For instance, the stolen boat episode is the best illustration of Nature’s impressive discipline of fear. He heard low breathings in “Solitary hills.” The poet concludes. “Tt was an act of stealth And troubled pleasure” In fact, Nature has power to draw out from within us those hidden powers that go to build what we essentially are. Wordsworth was not only the greatest poet of nature but also the poet of man, who had throughout been interested in the well being and moral enlightenment of man. Points to Remember: Wordsworth’s view of nature. Nature’s influence on man. Wordsworth’s personal experience with nature, Difference with classics. Nature as a teacher — Beauty and fear. eK Ae a See Siviews on man, nature and society. In fact, this imn was to be his highly cherished philosophic poem. But b fo undertaking the philosophical poem he wanted to exa Line himself so he decided to write a preparatory poem first, This poem is known as “The Prelude”. But the irony of the situation is that the poet's dream to write a philosophic poem was never completed and this preparatory poem — “The preclude” has become a philosophic epic because it has many prerequisites of an epic. Classically speaking, an epic is a narrative poem embodying the tragedy of a conspicuous person, who is involved in adventurous events and meets a tragic fall on account of some error of judgment, i.e. Hamartia which throws him from prosperity into adversity, his death is not essential. The subject matter of an epic is grand and that is why it is written in grand and heroic style the language used is grand and bombastic” However, in English, Milton widened the scope of epi¢ by writing epic about Adam’s fall and made it possible that the personal history of someone can be described in an epic. Then Wordsworth further improved on it and wrote epic about philosophical ideas. No doubt, “The prelude” did not have # larger epic mission, but even then it has the attributes to be called ‘a philosophic epic.” A critical and close observation will clearly reveal that in theme, style and structure it has close resemblance with a” epic pocm. Of course, the theme here many be said to be _ loss of the paradise of the childhood and then in the in that blessed stage through highly develope n and mystic experi iithasa ingle h ; d Epic is not an ordinary genre of li q are certain conventions which are considered to be an epic. The first of these and the one which sets i all other forms of poetry is the high seriousness. In an epi will not find any comic element because when a undertakes to write an epic he thinks that he is going to produce something which will not only be the best of his literary works, but also be one of the monumental literary achievements of mankind. Wordsworth was also conscious that he is going to undertake a mighty work—“The Recluse” after this predatory poem and this consciousness also loomed large inhis mind when he came to compose the prelude. The subject matter he chose for this epic was also grand, i.e. his philosophical views in respect of nature and the growth of his mind. That is why he throughout the poem sustained high seriousness. An epic is generally of a considerable length comprising many books. For example, Milton’s epic “Paradise Last” comprises of twelve books. “The Prelude” like an epic, is also a very long poem. It has as many as fourteen books depicting the voyage of discovery of a noble mind and soul. An essential prerequisite of an epic is the conflict. In “Paradise Lost” there is conflict between God, Adam and Sensuous and spiritual emotions. j _ Digressions are also part and parcel of an Digressions are normally used to give variety a In The prelude, there is alsogods and ; lesses- oe prelude the supernatural elements have been replace Mystic experiences of the poet. Here the poet s descriptio; his experiences with nature and the idea of growing up fo d alike by beauty and by fear’ illustrate the supernatural elements in the poem in a powerful way. An epic is generally written about a grand theme, so the language used is also grand and lofty. Now, in this regard The Prelude is really a sublime and dignified poem. The very preamble of Book-I reminds us of Miltonic style and the long poem is full of lofty utterances in Miltonic blank verse. And there is no dearth of Homeric similes, An epic also possesses unity of theme. In fact an epic should be like a nosegay in which different flowers are bound by a single thread. In The prelude though there are many digressions, the unifying principle in the fourteen books is the “imagination”. Book-I and Book-II include a psychological account of the first working of the imagination in him; Book- Ill and IV show that the imagination is the main slept, BK-V, Support to imagination; BK-VI narrates the mystical experience as closely connected with imagination; BK-VIII contains lofty conception of man produced by imagination; BKS-XII , XI and XIV treat directly with imagination, nature etc. Thus Wordsworth’s attitude towards nature keeps intact all the books. All this leads us to the conclusion that The Prelude has most of the elements, if not all, of an epic. No doubt, it contains the philosophy of the nature and hence it is a modem epic. It travels beyond the tradition and delineates an authent@ record of the inner life of Wordsworth as well, As puts its “The Prelude is somethi, ns world as it comb1 Inner conflict. Digressions. Use of supernatural agencies. Lofty language. Unity of theme. . onclusion. f tite nee eee He RIOsworth, in The Prelude, “I was taught to feel perhaps too much The self- sufficing power of solitude” ' But this claim has been misunderstood by some critics They blame that Wordsworth, is in fact a haterer of mankind who wants to escape from human beings. But when we carefully and critically examine the case this argument proves to be wrong and we find that Wordsworth in fact was a lover of mankind and if he desired for solitude there were certain reasons for it. Firstly, by cutting himself off from the noisy and crowded city life Wordsworth wanted to commune with objects of nature and wanted to contemplate on nature. The poets in general crave for quiet and solitude because “Solitude is the nurse of contemplation”, Milton said so in Camus; and if a poet, as Shelley said, is to remain “hidden in the light of thought”, he is to feed his mind on contemplation. But there is a difference in Wordsworth and other poets. The other poets craved for solitude; Wordsworth actually enjoyed it. It is not that Wordsworth alone sought solitude; solitude also wanted Wordsworth. It was, again, an unwritten bond between words worth and solitude. He experienced: “Among the fretful dwellings of mankind, A fore state, a dim earnest, of the calm. That nature breathes among the hill and groves”. It was this calm of Nature that drew Wordsworth to hills, plains and thickets, where he went alone. In The pela d BK-I, the poet describes how he “had seen nine summers”. It was his joy: “To wander bal the oe anione the cliffsthat state of mind with which Wordswo! olitude invited him to spend his life in its company; not resist the temptation. He heard the call and made response. The precious moments of the dawn of his life wer spent in solitariness. : In fact the entire Prelude —as the rest of his poetry — is full of passages from the poet's pen that reveal how much this ‘worshipper of Nature’ loved solitariness. In BK-II, he talks of solitude as more active even than “Best society” and remarks in the same book: BOP bas sess I would walk alone. Under the quiet stars, and at that time Have felt whate’er there is of power in sound To breathe an elevated mood, by form Or image unprofaned, and I would stand If the night blackened with a coming storm Beneath some rock, listening to notes that are The ghostly language of the ancient earth Or make their dim abode in distant winds, Thence did I drink the visimary power”. As talking of Wordsworth’s love for loneliness Bradley observes: “But for Wordsworth not solitude and all things solitary had fascination” In the prelude, this solitude only, but all the an extraordinary Book-l, the poet speak of “soul of lov places” and makes mention of “the solitary cliffs” “the so i hills” “forlorn cascades”; again in BK-IIl, the poet “Solitude of lovely places”. In BK-VII, the poCae) ante re Th fact, the thing which creates confusion | ‘solitude we mean loneliness alone. But to Wordswo did not mean as it means to us— emptiness, absence of life in fact perceived a spirit even in loneliness. Now the question arises, is that spirit absent among the crowds? No it is all pervading but in the midst of throng and the noise, its speech becomes inaudible to us. Thus he retired at intervals to the solitary objects of Nature to gain from their speaking presence an exaltation of mind and delight on which he fed his mind. All this shows that Wordsworth was not the haterer of society or loathed human company as some people conceived it. In fact the solitude which Wordsworth desired is not that solitude which was wanted by Gulliver who was impressed by Houyhnhnms. His keeping away of himself from mankind was due to disgust from man, But Wordsworth was a lover of man and if he wanted solitude it was not because he hated mankind. He desired solitude because he wanted to contemplate on nature. He tried to use nature for the benefit of man. He looked for such power which would have a healthy influence on mankind and he therefore strongly pleaded to be taught by nature. So if he was in solitude he was not in alienation from mankind. His poetry in fact is addressed to mankind. His poetry pertains to nature but it is for mankind. Points to Remember: iy Reasons for his love of solitude. 2. His love of nature was nourished by solitude. 3. He loved mankind and sought solitude to contemplate for the good of man. Ok aeThere is a charge against Wor 7 qbout ‘Iie. he is self- conceited in The Prelude. carefully and critically examine the poem this charge be fallacious because although it deals with the life experiences of Wordsworth, it is not the product of self conceitedness. Wordsworth rather looks to be humble and there is a touch of humility in it. As in the very post- preamble of Book-I Wordsworth confesses. ‘< ....+, poetic numbers come Spontaneously to clothe in priestly robe A renovated spirit singled out Such hope was mine, for holy services”. Can such a person be vain or indulge in egotism when he feels himself to be—“A renovated spirit singled out.....for holy services?” In fact, Wordsworth’s purpose in writing The prelude was not to depict ‘I’. He wanted to produce a monumental work of his life The Recluse, a philosophical poem, containing his views on man, nature and society. But before undertaking the philosophical poem he decided to examine himself. So he decided to write a preparatory poem—The prelude. As in the preface to the first edition of The Excursion he wrote: “Several years ago, when the author retired to his native mountains, with the hope of being enabled to construct a literary work that might live, it was reasonable thing that he should take a review of his own mind and examine how far Nature and Education have qualified him for such employment”. And, he also explained to Sir George Beaumont the purpose of his writing the prelude in the following words:ll, c i ' © unabashedly confesses his diffidence. It shows th is in fact ‘real humility’ that has induced him to undertal composition of the prelude. So, Wordsworth always remained in a state of doubt and diffidence. He never claimed that he is a great poet. That is why he again and again tumed to that arduous work but couldn’t complete it. The prelude especially the first book is replete with lines and passages revealing Wordsworth’s sense of humility and his doubts and diffidence to undertake the arduous task of constructing ‘literary work that might live.’ For example, in following lines the poet frankly confesses his lack of maturity and decides to take up the work of glory in mellower years: “But from this awful burthen I full Take refuge and beguile myself with soon trust That mellower years will bring a riper mind And clearer insight”. A poet, who so frankly admits his defeat and is honest and sincere enough to point out his own drawback and deficiencies, his mental conflicts and contradictions can never be a vain egotist. The other great thing about Wordsworth is that he was bom and brought up in the lap of Mother Nature amidst the most beautiful and sublime natural surroundings, And nature took upon herself the task of moulding the mind and soul of this sensitive child. And such a child can never become vain: “Fair seed time had my soul, and I grew up Fostered alike by beauty and by fear: ae ich favoured in my birth place, and no less ~ A nat beloved vale to which erelong i nsplanted”.es with happy endings sense of rivalry or jealousy; | nab sss then the pride of strength, : And the vain, glory of superior skill, = Were tempered: thus was gradually produced : A quiet independence of the heart.” pont And in this book we also find the boy Wordsworth longing for calmer and sober type of pleasures, and only those sports and parties that were closely attached to beautiful sights and sounds of nature seemed to be really enjoyable to him: “And every boyish spent, less grateful else And languidly pursued,” Time and again Wordsworth expressed his thank- fullness to Mother Nature for the healthy growth of his mind. And if he had any sense of pride in him, he tells us with modest pride that he had grown up— “Not with the mean and vulgar works of man. But with high objects, with enduring things— With life and Nature—.” A man who ultimately attained the peace and serenity of his soul due to all the benign and beneficial influences exerted on him by mother Nature Could never grow up to bea Vain and self- conceited person. All this leads us to the conclusion that Wordsworth nowhere in The Prelude appears to vain. As a school boy he might have some sense of ego and in the circle of his friends and close relations he might have been to some extent egotistical, but Wordsworth of The Preclude is never vain and egotistical.2 pt N , “The Prelude” or the preparatory poem, as W terms it, was first published in 1805. It is in fact the most work of Wordsworth’s genius. Here he has given his views on man, nature and society. That is why it has got a universal interest and we still love Wordsworth as a poet. This poem which is a spiritual autobiography of Wordsworth is of a great interest because there is much variety in it. As H.Read has said: “The prelude undoubtedly places before us Wordsworth the revolutionary, Wordsworth the man, Wordsworth the poet, and finally Wordsworth the high priest of nature”. The prelude is important firstly, because through it we can get the glimpses of Wordsworth’s life though it is not an autobiography in the strict sense of the word. It is in fact a living document without the help of which it is impossible to interpret Wordsworth’s life and poetry. It is a key and guide to Wordsworth’s poetry and personality. It helps us to have a glimpse of the inner most recesses of the poet's soul. It is an epic on the education of Wordsworth and the study of the growth of poet’s mind. However, like all great poets Wordsworth has transformed the personal into the universal. That is why there are many things in the poem which are of universal interest. Wordsworth’s discussion on childhood creates a spell on us that takes us back to those golden times when we too were freshly and spontaneous and our blood ran free, This discussion, too in fact is of universal interest. Childhood is the golden period of every one’s life; it is the fair seed time. It is the time in which he is enwrapped by the spiritual elevation which only he feels and we, the grown up cannot feel. “The child is father of the man; And I could wish my days to be yund each to each by naturalfh, i.e. if a child is brought up in| his growth will also be healthy. This principle. to Wordsworth alone but to every child. __ Wordsworth’s description of nature as an influene spirit is also of great importance. Nature has a noble effect on man, One can have a just and noble life if he is influenced by nature. Nature has a formative influence superior to any other— the educator of senses and mind— the sowing our hearts of the seeds of our feelings and belief. So there is a kinship between man and nature. Nature is that force which harmonizes and balances our minds. As in a passage he says: “Wisdom and spirit of the universe! Thou soul that art the eternity of thought, That gives to forms and images a breath And everlasting motion, not in yain By day or starlight thus from my first day Of childhood didst thou intertwine for me. The passion that build up our human soul: Not with the mean and vulgar works of men But with high objects, with enduring thing— With life and nature—purifying thus The elements of feeling and of thought And sacrificing, by such discipline, Both pain and fear, until we recognize A grandeur in the beating of the heart”. The prelude is remarkable also because it gives us an authentic record of the growth of poet's mind. In fact, starting with the physical appreciation of nature Wordsworth’s love towards nature culminated in pantheistic attitude. He discovered that nature was alive. The same soul permeated both man and nature and it was the reflection of God. Thus he discovered ultimate truth underlying nature, on acco Which nature appears more beautiful to him.’ R, meaning to imagination. Before him, imag} ower which could take anyone into the realm of divorce him from the realities of life. Wordsworth, for the time, uttered that imagination was an intuition, a creative and visionary power by which one could penetrate deep into the apparent phenomena and find out that ultimate and eternal truth, hidden behind the shows and real realties. This theory of Wordsworth is still acceptable. Lastly, the prelude also has a historical interest because in it there are many references to contemporary historical events. For example, French revolution, its failure and consequences etc. All this leads us to the conclusion that the Prelude has a universal appeal. In fact a great poem like the prelude could never have been limited merely to the narrow field of a writer's personality, it extends its limits widely and touches the broader lines of life in general. Points to Remember: UR The prelude provides a lot of information about its author’s life. 2. Wordsworth’s discussion on childhood, formative influence of nature, and his theory of imagination —all lend importance to the poem. eK